The social-media strategy: Wow Bao has a social-marketing mission: give away as much of its product as possible. On Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, you name it, the goal is the same. “What better way to get people excited about your business than to give them your product?” says Geoff Alexander, managing partner of Wow Bao and a vice-president at its parent company, Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc. “That way, we can educate them about our product, get them to like it, and it makes it fun for them to try it.”

So on “Secret Word Wednesday,” visitors to Wow Bao's Facebook page can learn a secret passphrase that will earn them a free bao at the restaurant. Visitors to the restaurant who “check in” using the location-based social-media platforms Foursquare or Facebook Places are eligible for a buy-one-get-one-free offer. The first time customers check in using Scvngr, a new location-based platform, they receive a free bao. The person with the most Foursquare check-ins gets a free six-pack of baos—as often as they stop in. (Mr. Alexander says that, so far, no one has abused this privilege.)

The location-based services appeal to Mr. Alexander because he figures his restaurant's unique cuisine is a conversation-starter. “Most of the people on Foursquare have their accounts tied to their Twitter accounts, and their Twitter accounts are tied to their Facebook accounts, which are tied to their blogs. When somebody checks in, it goes viral on these different (platforms), and you start a conversation. First, it's ‘Hey, I'm at Wow Bao'; then, ‘What's that?' Then, ‘I love it—have you tried it?' “

That's where Bao Mouth fits in. Bao Mouth is an anonymous Wow Bao employee who monitors various social-media channels for conversations about the restaurant. Bao Mouth has carte blanche from Mr. Alexander to reward Wow Bao loyalists, make amends with unhappy customers or chat up potential diners.

Paul Templer, 34, heard about Wow Bao from friends on Twitter. Mr. Templer joined the conversation, saying he'd have to try a bao sometime. Soon, he received a Tweet from Bao Mouth offering a free lunch. Now, he walks a mile from his Streeterville office to the Wow Bao at 1 W. Wacker Blvd. once or twice a week in nice weather.

“Wow Bao has a cult following” on Twitter, Mr. Templer says. “I'll walk in and other customers will say, ‘Hey, Paul! I recognize you from your Twitter picture. It's great to finally meet you!' “

Mr. Templer has noticed that the online community of Wow Bao followers is growing, and he considers it mostly good news. The only drawback is that he seldom earns the free baos that come from recording the most Foursquare check-ins.

“Everybody's battling,” Mr. Templer says. “These days, you probably have to go twice a day to get it.”

Something to copy: They have an "order online" feature on Facebook that I really like. It's an awesome call to action, and it pulls off their whole strategy. (Mr. Alexander says online orders are up 10% since the feature was added in September.)

Something to tweak: The first post I saw on the Facebook page said, "Sorry to self-promote, but . . ." I would never apologize for that. If you can promote your products in a way that people can relate to — for instance, if it's lunchtime and they're hungry — don't be sorry. They know you're a business, and they're going to eat somewhere, so it may as well be with you."

quote|Geoff Alexander

' What better way to get people excited about your business than to give them your product?'